Specificity of elementary composition of plants in synthesizing saponins

Abstract

The pharmaceutical action of medicinal plants depends on the presence of natural compounds and biologcally important microelements. The accumulation of some microelements in saponin-synthesizing plants, the small dispersion of their contents, and finally, the high coefficient of correlation between accumulated elements provides the basis to draw conclusions about speicifity of the mineral metabolism in these species. The synthesis of sapoins, and the specificity of the elementary composition suggest that some elements fulfill a definite regulative role as co-factors or activators of enzymes participating in the synthesis and accumulation of these natural compounds. Correlating the effects of saponins and other natural compounds with microelements on the human organism is exciting this will open new prospects of application of medicinal plants in health protection.